Dimick, H. Frank (1897-1924) & Dimick, John Franklin (1921-24)

DIMICK, KNUDSEN, JACOBSEN, CRON, BECKER, BRINKERHOFF, WISSLER, CHORD, MINERMAN, JENSEN, ELWOOD, HENSLEY, DRENNAN, WAGNER, OWEN, DAY, ZIKES, RASMUSSEN, BINTNER, HEATH, NIKLASON, COTTON, COMBS, VARNEY, NELSON

Posted By: Ken Akers (email)
Date: 10/8/2007 at 20:16:20

Audubon County Journal (IA)
Nov. 20, 1924, pg. 1
Father and Son Meet Tragic
Death Saturday Evening

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H. FRANK DIMICK MET DEATH IN FUTILE ATTEMPT
TO RESCUE SON FROM CISTERN. FATHER
AND SON BOTH PERISH

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The people of this community were
never more shocked and wrought up
than they were Saturday evening,
November 15, when word was passed
about that Frank Dimick, son of Mr.
and Mrs. J. M. Dimick, while endeav-
oring to rescue his three year old son
who had fallen into a cistern was
drowned and both father and child
died together.

The double drowning occurred at
the Dimick home one mile east of
town Saturday evening, some time
between the hours of five and six
o'clock as near as could be determined.
The bodies were discovered in the
cistern after a short search had been
made and help was summoned immed-
iately.

Mr. Dimick and son had been in
town during the afternoon and when
they returned home the father had
gone to the barnyard to do the chores.
His son, John Franklin, had gone with
him and it is thought that while Frank
was busy with his work the little lad
got too near the cistern and fell in.
Whether Mr. Dimick saw the child fall
into the cistern or missed him and
discovered his whereabouts after a
search will never be known as there
were no eye witnesses to the tragedy.
It is certain, however, that the father
lost his life in a futile attempt to save
his son.

At supper time when they failed to
return to the house, Mrs. Dimick and
Harold Dimick, a cousin, and Roy
Knudsen, who work there, started a
search and after looking in the barn
lots at the home place and across the
road at the Clyde Dimick place. Har-
old noticed the cistern cover being out
of place. He struck a match and peer-
ed in and was horrified to see the body
of the child floating on the surface
of the water. Fearing that Mrs.
Dimick would collapse on the scene
Harold suggested that they return to
the house and he would go over to the
pasture and see if they could be there.
After Mrs. Dimick was safely in the
house he started for the Clyde Dimick
home and before he arrived there met
Mr. and Mrs. John Dimick, who had
been summoned from town by Mrs.
Clyde Dimick, and told them of his
gruesome find. People in town were
immediately notified and a large num-
of friends and neighbors went to re-
cover the bodies.

The bodies were taken from the
cistern a very short time after help
arrived and Drs. Jacobsen and Cron
assisted by others commenced frantic
work to resuscitate the father. A
call was made for the Pulmotor at
Atlantic and Dr. Becker and two
nurses answered the summons. Work
with the Pulmotor was continued for
two hours but the efforts were of
no avail. The bodies were in the cold
water (text missing)
near the cutoff and let him fall into
the eight feet of icy water and his
eforts were useless with nothing
to hold to, and he perished.

In the death of Frank Dimick the
community has suffered the loss of
a loyal, true and upright young man.
As a boy he proved himself honest and
upright, graduating from the high
school of Exira with honors. Desir-
ing to make the most of his life he
entered Ames college where he gradu-
ated with honors in a four year course
in June, 1919, and received his degree.

He was an unusual young man in
college athletics having won his letter
A for three consecutive years, the
last year being captain of the track
team and member of the Ames ath-
letic frternity. He was a member of
a college fraternity which through
his efforts as a delegate at Philadel-
phia was made a national fraternity,
theh Theta Delta Chi.

In 1918 he enlisted in the S. A. T.
C. and was in training in Ames. There
was a call for men to enlist in the
officers training school and he was
one of a class of sixty who enlisted
and was sent to Camp Taylor, Louis-
ville, Kentucky, where he was at the
time the Armistice was signed.

H. Frank Dimick was born on a
farm near Exira on November 16th,
1897, thus being 27 years old at the
time of his death. He was united in
marriage to Lola M. Brinkerhoff on
the 8th day of January, 1920. To
them were born two sons, John Frank-
lin and Robert Dean.

Frank was affiliated with the Fed-
erated church of Exira, where his fine
tenor voice was heard for several
years in the church choir. He was
always ready to give his best when
requested, singing in the regular choir
or at the request of friends on special
occasions.

He was a member of the Ames
Alumni, of the local K. of P. lodge,
the B. P. O. Elks and the American
Legion. The Elks and American Le-
gion had charge of a part of the fun-
eral services.

Mr. Dimick was the Junior member
of the firm of Dimick Bros., having
been associated with his brother,
Clyde, in the operation of a large
stock farm one mile east of town,
during the past five years. During
the entire time the brothers were
associated in business they were in
perfect harmony and the pleasure
they derived from their work was a
splendid example to others.

He leaves to mourn his loss a wife,
one son, father, mother, one brother
and one sister who loved him for his
true and noble manhood, and whose
lives were made richer because they
knew him. He will always be remem-
bered as one who gave his life in an
(missing text)
twelve o'clock noon Wednesday.

Funeral services were conducted by
Rev. Henry Wissler of Des Moines
assisted by Rev. Robert N. Chord from
the J. M. Dimick home at 1:30 o'clock
Wednesday afternoon. Interment was
in the Exira cemetery.

The pall bearers for H. Frank Dim-
ick were Walter Minerman, Harvey
Jensen, Willis Elwood, Norman, Roy
and Luther Hensley.

The following members of the Theta
Delta Chi fraternity of Ames were
honorary pall bearers: Orlo Drennan,
Mt. Etna; Earl Wagner, Primghar;
Harold Owen, Ames; John A. Day,
Ames, and Golden Zikes, Lewis.

The pall bearers were selected from
the Elks, From the K. of P.'s, the
American Legion and his raternity,
the Thelta Delta Chi.

The pall bearers for John Franklin
Dimick, where Chester Rasmussen, Roy
Knudsen, Matt Bintner and Garner
Heath.

The large number of sympathizing
friends who gathered to pay their last
respects to the deceased was mute
testimony of the esteem in which they
were held. Not more than six persons
in the entire town failed to show their
sympathy and respect in some man-
ner. There was near to 3000 people
in attendance at the services and the
floral offerings, which came from all
parts of the country, more than filled
a truck.

The relatives and friends from a
distance who came to attend the fun-
eral were Mrs. Ellowene Niklason of
Palo Alto, Calif.; Mrs. F. H. Cotton
and two daughters, Leah and Chris-
tina, Spencer, Neb.; Mr. and Mrs.
Guy Combs and son, Mitchell, S. D.;
Mr. and Mrs. Duff Varney and three
children, Milltown, S. D.; Mr. and Mrs.
Floyd Nelson and Mrs. Marsh Sewell,
Winfield; Mr. and Mrs. Clark Mc-
Ilvain and Mr. and Mrs. Glen McIlvain
of Boone; Miss Blanche Dimick, Chi-
cago, Illinois; Mrs. Earl Wagner,
Primghar; Mrs. Paul G. Beach and
Mr. and Mrs. M. E. Coy of Council
Bluffs; Mrs. Jennie Holden, Mrs. Belle
Heath, Will Wissler, Everett Wissler,
Fred Wissler, Mr. and Mrs. Lee Wiss-
ler and Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Kelloway
of Des Moines; Chas. Cox and Mr.
Koffman of Omaha. There were also
several hundred friends from nearby
towns in attedance.

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The Beyond
It seemeth such a little way to me
Across to that strange country--
the Beyond;
And yet not strange, for it has grown
to be
The home of those of whom I am so
fond;
They make it seem familiar and most
dear,
As journeying friends bring distant
regions near.
So close it lies that when my sight
is clear
I think I almost see the gleaming
strand;
I know I feel those who have gone
from here
Come near enough sometimes to
tough my hand.
I often think, but for our veiled eyes,
We should find heaven right round
about us lies.
I cannot make it seem a day to dread,
When from this dear earth I shall
journey out
To that still dearer country of the
dead,
And join the lost ones so long
dreamed about;
I love this world, yet shall I love
to go
And meet the friends that wait for
me, I know.
I never stand above a bier and see
The seal of death set on some well-
loved face,
But what I think, "One more to wel-
come me
When I shall cross the intervening
space
Between this land and that one 'over
there'--
One more to make the strange Be-
yond seem fair."
And so for me there is no sting to
death,
And so the grave has lost its vic-
tory;
It is but crossing -- with a bated
breath
(missing text)

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CARD OF THANKS

We desire to express our heartfelt
thanks to those who so kindly assisted
us during our recent bereavement.
Words cannot express the full appre-
ciation which we feel. We wish to
especially thank the singers, the Elk
and K. of P. lodges, the American
Legion members and all who sent
beautiful floral offerings.

We also wish to especially thank the
neighbors and friends who so kindly
came into our home and took charge
of all details. Also the boys who at-
tended to the work at the farm.

Mrs. H. Frank Dimick.
Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Dimick.
Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Dimick.
Mrs. Clarence Niklason.
Mrs. F. H. Cotton and
Daughters

Audubon County Journal (IA)
Jan. 1, 1925, pg. 1
NEIGHBORS HUSK CORN FOR
CLYDE DIMICK

A number of neighbors gathered at
the Clyde Dimick place east of Exira
Wednesday, Nov. 27, and husked out
about a thousand bushels of corn for
him. Mr. Dimick feels very grateful
to those who assisted and we are of
the opinion tht Clyde would do as
much for anyone else. Acts of this
kind prove that human kindness flows
strong in the veins of modern man
and it is beyond one's power to ex-
press appreciation of such deeds.

Those participating in the kind act
were Hans Nelson, Garland Nelson,
Sophus Jensen, Will Davis, Wayne
Davis, Pete Christensen, Geo. Wahlert
Walter Schlotfeldt, Judy Young, Floyd
Young, Willis Young, Herb Wahlert,
Ralph Wahlert, Clyde Wahlert, Claud
Green, Mr. Price, Tom Hill, Will Lud-
wig, Louie Baier, Earl Fredericks, Roy
Lyle, Ivan Heath, Garner Heath Chas.
Donaldson, Albert Hocamp, and Folly
Littlefield.

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Card of Appreciation

I desire to express my sincere ap-
preciation to those who came to my
place and assisted with corn picking.
This favor will never be forgotten and
to express my gratitude in full meas-
ure would be impossible.

Clyde J. Dimick